The 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series regular season continued where last year’s electrifying finish left off, with competitors trying to deliver punishing blows to their opponents. All four pro categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle) saw drivers collect multiple wins in the first two-quarters of the regular season.
The second half of the regular season has displayed parity in competition. Teams who had struggled earlier in the season began to find their groove. Drivers who had found themselves near the bottom of the points standing started to make their move toward the top.
But now we have reached the NHRA Camping World Playoffs known as the Countdown.
All points lead that has been built will now be reduced as drivers who have secured a position in the Countdown to the Championship will have their NHRA Camping World points adjusted.
In Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock, first and second place will be separated by 20 points while each position second through tenth place will be separated by 10 points.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, first and second place will be separated by 20 points while second through fifth place will be separated by 10 points. Fifth through tenth will be separated by 5 points.
On September 15-18 at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the fight for the Championship begins.
Let’s take a look at two drivers that could make a legit run at securing a World Championship:
1) Antron Brown- Matco Tools/Lucas Oil/Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
No one has tested and worked harder on and off the track to get their car back to a consistency more than Antron Brown’s AB Motorsports team. Brown and his team would have solid days of testing but struggled to get practice runs to translate on race day. Through the first 13 races of the regular season, the Chesterfield New Jersey native had nine first-round losses and one DNQ with an overall round win-loss record of 5-12.
However, in his last three races, the perseverance of Brian Corradi, Mark Oswald, and this AB Motorsports team has started to pay dividends. Brown and company have recorded a 9-1 round win-loss record. During that time, the team has one quarter-final appearance and two event wins with one being the biggest race of the year the NHRA Power Brokers U.S. Nationals.
Brown coming into the playoffs currently sits sixth in the playoff standings only 60 points out of first. With the momentum built over the last three races, it is hard not to consider Antron Brown as a potential contender for the Championship.
2) Troy Coughlin Jr.-JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro
Coughlin Jr. struggled to find his footing through the first eight races of the regular season. The Columbus, Ohio native at that time had five first-round losses with a round win-loss record of 4-7 with one DNQ. Over the last five races, Coughlin’s performance has been solid, posting a 12- 2 round win-loss record with two back-to-back wins before the U.S Nationals.
After his first career win and first of the season, Coughlin Jr. was honest about the struggles he faced before getting his first win in Seattle.
“There were dog days,” Coughlin acknowledged. “There were lots of dog days. There were days that I thought, ‘man is this going to come, or is it a day of bad luck.’”
Although Coughlin had a second-round exit in last week’s U.S. Nationals, his JEGS.com/Elite Performance Chevrolet Camaro has been one of the hottest cars in Pro Stock. Most importantly, he is getting hot at the right time. Coughlin finds himself in sixth place at the start of the Countdown only 60 points out of first place.